Rip doesn't want to go to the bench

The difference between how it was reported was the difference between fact and assertion. Rip was directly quoted. McCosky is appealing to a commonly understood perception.

In this case, I don't think anyone disagrees. It is absolutely unlikely AI wants to come off the bench, would be happy coming off the bench. But he's not saying that. He's not putting what he wants before the team.

This didn't make any sense to me.

7 game win streak without Rip? 9-2? Beating Orlando? Beating Denver on the road? Only losing to Portland by 1 point?

Without Rip, they have like an 80% win rate. Is that an acceptable standard?

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So we're going to give all the credit to AI, and ignore the big elephant (literally) in the room ? And ignore that our play has been on a downward trajectory for the past few games ? And we are 2-2 and choked one game away and almost another ?

Ok so let's sit AI for a few weeks and see if Rip can match his % with 2 bigs in the line-up.

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When i said

No comment on AI not wanting to come off the bench either ?

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based on the article;

you said the above comment about law,etc. deeming it speculation and then turned around and said that McCosky wasn't speculating.

Whenever Rip comes back I'm fairly certain Curry won't start him immediately. He'll probably bring him off the bench for maybe 8-10 minutes the first game and then increase his minutes from there after being satisfied the injury isn't lingering (Sac did this with Kmart recently). Who knows? Rip might grow to like coming off the bench...?

Seems like a lot has been made over what McCosky said "Rip said". Let's just wait and see.

To be very technical, "it's not going to happen" is not necessarily a refusal. Maybe Rip has already had a conversation with MC and he has been told that they are going back to SB until the Championship is secured. Rip is just giving McCoskey the scoop.

Or maybe Rip approached MC and said, "I think that for the good of the team that I should come off the bench." MC denied his request and told him that it is AI who will better serve the team off the bench. So, in this scenario, Rip tells McCoskey that it isn't going to happen.

Or maybe Rip knows that Joe is 90% of the way through a trade negotiation to send him to a favorable destination. In a cooperative way, Rip is prolonging the injury to give Joe a chance to finish the deal. So in this case he's being cryptic when he says that it won't happen.

And even if he is unhappy and said the wrong thing, this is what coaches have to deal with. It's a huge part of their job. We've seen MC scream at Kwame, Amir, Maxiell, etc., but he hasn't stood up to a vet yet. After AI missed the Thanksgiving practice, it was just the obligatory 1 game off the bench and then back to normal like nothing ever happened. Maybe this is a good chance for MC to show the players that he's in charge here and become the true captain of the team.

you said the above comment about law,etc. deeming it speculation and then turned around and said that McCosky wasn't speculating.

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That's not quite correct. I said that I would have hoped you given your interest in a field that relies heavily on objective analysis, to be able to see the difference between a direct quote (factual statement) and an impression, which was totally left up to the subjectivity of the writer to gauge.

Rip said, "It ain't happening". We do not know what AI said. He may have said, "Trade me if you want me to come off the bench", "Drag me into a field and put me down like a lame horse if you bring me off the bench".

He might have said, "If I have to come off the bench, I'm going gangsta and there will be blood!"

But it wasn't reported, and we don't know. That's my point about McCosky being an analyst. He makes a lot of poor calls when he tries to guess what is happening or will happen. But directly quoting Rip? The coffee boy could have done that. It's pretty hard to mess up.

The irony here, is that McCosky didn't even try to analyze what Rip said. He just printed it, and let the readers use their own imaginations.

I just recall reading that you missed a game, you missed a game, and assumed the list was the misses (poor reading comprehension, remember).

Wow, so you actually watched all of those wins, and still think we're doomed. I loved how you posted at the end of the Portland game that we lost by 1 point, that it conclusively proved we needed Rip. That was pretty funny.

Or maybe Rip knows that Joe is 90% of the way through a trade negotiation to send him to a favorable destination. In a cooperative way, Rip is prolonging the injury to give Joe a chance to finish the deal. So in this case he's being cryptic when he says that it won't happen.

When was the last time McCrapsky exclusively reported something that had us talking about it like this?

This is so refreshing in contrast to watching him lounging around the arena appearing as if he doesn't give a crap. Perhaps he'll start letting stray cats out of the bag in homage to his departed colleague Rob Parker.

Nope. Not until you just mentioned it. I don't/can't remember everything.

I just recall reading that you missed a game, you missed a game, and assumed the list was the misses (poor reading comprehension, remember). Wow, so you actually watched all of those wins, and still think we're doomed. I loved how you posted at the end of the Portland game that we lost by 1 point, that it conclusively proved we needed Rip. That was pretty funny.

Like I said, I'm not sure this makes your case. You watch the team win many more than they lose, make up ground in the conference, and yet you claim we are on a downward trend.

You're entitled to your opinion, but certainly not your facts. A team that wins more than it loses, is not on a downward trend.

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Yes i do remember. I made a list of the games i saw in response to your question; How many of the last 10 games have you seen? and then specifically said i missed the last two games. I could see how that could be confusing to understand for you.

And I'm glad i could entertain you. I get as much humor out of your posts as well. I actually saw the NJ one as well. I d/led off the internet. If i find the link again, i'll let you know so then if you miss a game you can catch it, and be prepared for these "I've seen more games than you. I'm so much more informed than you!!" competitions.

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Sometimes it's hard to see the bigger picture. I guess when we were winning all those games under Flip we weren't on a downward trend either. Level of play doesn't matter. Certainly the win/loss record is absolute proof of how the team is playing.

Yes i do remember. I made a list of the games i saw in response to your question; How many of the last 10 games have you seen? and then specifically said i missed the last two games. I could see how that could be confusing to understand for you.

And I'm glad i could entertain you. I get as much humor out of your posts as well. I actually saw the NJ one as well. I d/led off the internet. If i find the link again, i'll let you know so then if you miss a game you can catch it, and be prepared for these "I've seen more games than you. I'm so much more informed than you!!" competitions.

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Sometimes it's hard to see the bigger picture. I guess when we were winning all those games under Flip we weren't on a downward trend either. Level of play doesn't matter. Certainly the win/loss record is absolute proof of how the team is playing.

Sometimes it's hard to see the bigger picture. I guess when we were winning all those games under Flip we weren't on a downward trend either. Level of play doesn't matter. Certainly the win/loss record is absolute proof of how the team is playing.

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I think TG drew the short straw in a sense. He missed games first. If AI did and an immediate turn around took place then I would expect the same from him.

The team has had enough of a shake-up and TG coming off the bench would be least intrusive to the overall group.

Sometimes it's hard to see the bigger picture. I guess when we were winning all those games under Flip we weren't on a downward trend either. Level of play doesn't matter. Certainly the win/loss record is absolute proof of how the team is playing.

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You really haven't seen a significant improvement in their level of play?

for the 500th time.... I don't care if they don't want to come off the bench... hell i don't think we want players on the team that don't want to start...

The issue was/is/and will be players that put themselves above the team and refuse to do whats best for the team.

You can rest assured if AI makes a comment that he refuses to come off the bench I will say the same exact things about him that I have Rip.

You are getting lost here, there are two totally seperate issues...

1. who should be coming off the bench and who should start. Its obvious you want Rip to start. For me, I have stated I am not sure but if was pushed... I would probably have Prince off the bench... gee I agreed with you Rip needs to start.

2. Players need to not make selfish me before team statements like Rip made where he said I am not coming off the bench. If he would say he'd hate to come off the bench didn't want to come off the bench but if the coach asked him to he'd do what is best for the team, you wouldn't have heard word one out of me being disapointed in him. Hell I would be happy that he didn't want to be benched, but was willing to do it for the team.

Surely, as someone studying law, you know the difference between proof and speculation

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Uhm isn't that also Chris McCosky? "Hamilton has made it known he has no interest in coming off the bench, nor does Iverson. So you can see Curry's dilemma."

Rational is being paranoid about a newspaper report, with absolutely no reason to doubt it?

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Why should I have no reason? (mark the I) Like i said, I haven't been reading or listening to Chris for years, since it has only been like 2 months or so. You might trust him cause you have. Isn't trust based on experience or do you trust any person you don't know. Also i never said Chris is a liar, i just took a step back and said Rip could have said it (basically doubting Chris and Rip, which isnt the same as Rip never said it)

So a guy does his job, does it well, and by all accounts, does it accurately, and you blame him, because Rip says something stupid.

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First, how do you know he does it well/accurately, are you like his supervisor, checking everything he writes down and being with him at every interview? Second, i don't blame him because Rip says something stupid. If Rip said it then it's indeed stupid. I am just saying i don't know how the convo went cause it aint on audio/video anywhere. Remember after the 87 loss to the Celtics, Zeke made that comment about Bird, if he were black etc. Now that comment was atleast on audio so you knew for sure Zeke said it.

You clearly trust Chris McCosky because you have been following his reports for some years now, i haven't. So right now all i can do is trust you and say Chris McCosky can be trusted and is an honest reporter cause Roscoe says so and he knows ;)

To finish it all off, my post weren't merely about did Rip say it or didn't he but more towards all the hatred against Rip just based upon something a reporter writes (even if Rip said what was written down) It was the same hatred that was spit upon Iverson when he missed practise. That what i meant with "Guess i am not as an emotional person as the rest, i tend to be rational (or atleast try to)." %%%% happens, doesn't mean we have to manhunt someone over it.

We laugh and make fun of the Celtics fans cause they scream/cry when they loose and start yelling trade trade. Arent we doing the same right now because Rip said something stupid. Let's just wait till the next game that Rip plays and we'll see what happens. Layback ppl and relax, it's gonna be interesting, that's all.